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As a backstory to this project – I am in the phase of my life where bachelorette parties/weddings fill most of my summer weekends. While these parties are more or less, more organized versions of our typical summer weekends, original themes, give-aways, activities get harder to come up with as the summer/years go on.

Enter the “Wolfpack Weekend”. Part of this weekend includes a competition that required us to split the “wolfpack” in two, which we did by colours (easy enough). These sick cut-off tee’s were done in about 2h (all 12!) and then left overnight to dry. You can run with the idea and basically customize to use any clipart or silhouette (or free-hand design, you creative SOB!). We went with wolves. Because we’re a wolfpack (duh). Plus, they have that “my mom made me wear this in the 1990s in a matching sweatsuit” feel)

What you’ll need:

-Fabric spray (Tulip brand in black and neon pack, available at Walmart)

-Cardboard stencil

-Newspaper/plastic bag (to protect your floor)

-T-shirt/Tank top/Cut-off muscle T

What you’ll do:

Find a clip art or silhouette of your desired design. You can free hand this or find one on the Internet. If you go with the Internet version, you can simply print or trace over your screen and then transfer that onto cardboard. Plain paper can work if you only do 1, but if you are using the stencil multiple times, the paint will soak through and it won’t be functional past 1, maybe 2.

Remember:
The part where you place your stencil will remain white (or whatever colour your fabric is). You can also use the stencil as a stamp and spray the paint on it first, then transfer it onto your fabric (keep in mind, it will be a transfer aka backwards).

Once you have your stencil ready, place some paper/cardboard/plastic between the layers of your shirt so your spray doesn’t soak through to the back.

Place your stencil where you want it. (this stencil looks black because its already been sprayed once).

Spray! We did a two-parter – a) First, we used black with the wolf stencil. b) Once that was dry, we placed a full circle of cardboard over the “moon” and “wolf” to keep them white and black, respectively, and then went bananas with the neon sprays for that “Northern Lights/rave” feel.

a) b)

Tips:

– Try to hold the bottle as upright as possible, especially when it gets low (the sprayer sucks from the bottom so if it’s tilted, it doesn’t spray as well).

– Use a fondue fork (or some other type of long skinny implement) to hold the stencil down securely to save your hands).

In a pot:
– Bring water to a boil
– Cook Pasta
– Drain
– Toss in olive oil

Meanwhile, in a frying pan:
– Cut sausages out of casing and put into pan with a bit of olive oil
– Once sausages are cooked, throw in onion and minced garlic
– Once onions have started to brown, add tomatoes
– Simmer until tomatoes have softened
– Use red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to season to taste

In a large bowl:
– Combine pasta and sausage mixture
– Tear up basil leaves and mix
– Add olive oil as needed for “saucier” result

To plate:
– Top with a handful of fresh arugula and grated Mozzarella cheese
– Enjoy!

Every summer has a song. Usually a very up beat, danceable song that makes everyone’s toes tap and heads bop. It’s one that gets stuck in your head every time and brings back a flood of good memories when it’s played.

The summer before last, my girlfriends and I could not stop singing about “mmmmm motor boatin'” along with Little Big Town to the song “Pontoon” – A song about literally doing nothing on a boat all day in the sun. Without fail, the song reminds me of our trip to Nashville for my best friend’s bachelorette party – definitely a weekend to remember!

Last summer I switched it up a bit, but stuck to the standard criteria of toe taps and head bops. Wildfire, by John Mayer, was a surprising and immediately addictive song when I first heard it. John Mayer, at one time in my life, was the most romantic soul a girl could imagine. His lyrics were seamless and he seemed to be speaking directly to you. Then I got a bit older, his music changed, and I learned he was a bit of a womanizer (not so hot, John!) – so I was not as tuned in as I had been. But one Saturday morning, just as I was stirring, Bobby played this song for me to wake up to and I wasn’t able to stop listening for the entire Summer. We listened to the song so often, and created so many memories together, that it has become our first choice for our wedding video. Go figure!

This summer, I’ve gone back to Little Big Town. They just GET me. Meaning…they like the sun and drinking in it. I dig that! “Day Drinking” is this Summer’s anthem. It is upbeat, catchy, and has an awesome whistle hook that makes me furious I can’t whistle. They also put on one of the best shows I have ever been to; the only thing better than a Summer song is getting to listen to it live during the Winter!

I love an excuse to dress up. And what girl doesn’t love the chance to wear an oversized hat at the same time!? This Sunday, a group of friends and I decided to get fancy and take a limo to the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack. It was an absolutely wonderful, and very affordable, way to spend a Sunday. Tickets were only $31, and after splitting the cost of the limo (to avoid any drinking and driving and/or complications with hailing a taxi in a gigantic crowd) the day worked out to just $65 per person. In addition to a full day at the races, a track level party for all ticket holders was included in the price of each ticket. The party, called “Hats and Horseshoes“, featured two bands (one of which was my wedding band, Emerson Street Rhythm Band, so naturally, it was very exciting for me!), multiple food trucks, several betting kiosks, and as many adult beverage booths as the eye could see. Above the stage there was a screen set up showing each race leading up to the the Queen’s Plate itself, ensuring you did not miss a thing. The party was split partially due to a walking ring through the middle, which was really neat, as you were able to watch each horse go by on its way out to race. The grounds were covered in women wearing the most incredible fascinators and gigantic floppy hats – It was fabulous to see. Although the wind was a bit of a task for all of us; One minute you felt like a princess and the next you are hightailing it across the pavement after your chapeau! Even the gentlemen were turning it up: we saw quite a few men in penguin suits – including top hats – it was spectacular. The whole day was a wonderful mix of young and old, groups of friends, and large families embracing the opportunity to get dressed up and have a lovely time in the sunshine. And that, I am definitely on board with. I think this is an event that we will be attending for many years to come!

I am a weather chaser and a season pusher. As soon as Fall is over I am counting down to Summer. There is nothing I love more than sand in my toes, sun on my face, and the sound of waves lapping the shoreline. And a good tan. Obviously. As a blond haired, blue eyed human, I am pretty much as pasty as they come, so that tan part I definitely need a bit of help with! I find nail polish is a great (and cheap!) aid in looking like you’ve got that summer glow without the sun damage your mama warned you about. Below are my favourite 5 Essie nail polish picks for the summer season. In addition to looking great with any ensemble, each colour plays with the pigments of your skin tone to give you that straight off the beach look we all crave this time of year.

Summer is a super busy time, making it hard to prepare fast and healthy meals. Not to mention the sweltering heat of using the oven in an apartment with no A/C! One of our favourite things to have for dinner in the Summer (and all year, really) is a cold plate. Various fruits, veggies, meats, and cheeses laid out for us to pick at while we watch TV, or sit and read, or – as I have found the case to be this summer – craft. There is minimal clean up and it is a much healthier alternative to barbecuing whatever is in the freezer and tossing a side of chips on your plate. My personal favourite component of any cold plate we’ve made this summer is the caprese salad: a fast and easy (and filling!) way to get your daily veggies and a bit of protein.

Cut your buffalo mozzarella into slices, again, halve those. Place the cheese on top of your tomatoes – you can make this more of a mixed up salad or you can try placing a piece of cheese on each tomato.

Tear your fresh basil and sprinkle over your cheese – you can also put small sections on top of each piece of cheese if you went that route. Use as much or as little as you’d like.

Crack your pepper and sea salt over top of your creation – season to taste. Finally, drizzle some olive oil over top, adding balsamic vinegar if you want to shake it up a bit, and enjoy!